Flyers welcome talented Stars Tuesday
The Flyers finally play a game tonight. The NHL's odd early-season scheduling left them without playing a game since Wednesday's 3-0 win over the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks.
After a mix of two off days and three days of practice, the Flyers host the visiting Dallas Stars at 7:30 p.m. tonight. The Stars bring a 4-1-1 record into the Wells Fargo Center and with it one of the league's most skilled offensive groups.
Dallas' top line of Tyler Seguin, Patrick Sharp and last year's Art Ross Trophy winner, Jamie Benn, has been electric. Benn, who led the NHL with 87 points last year, has five goals and three assists in the Stars' first five games. Seguin also has eight points.
Second liners Jason Spezza (seven points) and Ales Hemsky (six points) have also provided early-season contributions for Lindy Ruff's group.
And the addition of defenseman Johnny Oduya has bulked up Dallas' back end in front of the goaltending combination of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi, who have played in three and two games, respectively.
The Stars are coming off of back-to-back wins on their trip to South Florida, beating the defending Eastern Conference champion Lightning, 5-3, on Thursday before topping the Panthers, 4-2, on Saturday.
"We've played some pretty good teams here in the early going," coach Dave Hakstol said after Monday's practice.
The Flyers have played both Stanley Cup contestants from last year, a Florida team on the rise and now a Dallas team that looks like it's going to bounce back after missing out on the playoffs last year.
After starting 0-1-1 on their trip to Florida, the Flyers responded with two straight shutout wins over Florida and Chicago.
Mason happy to be back
Steve Mason makes his return to the net Tuesday night after being shelled for four goals in less than seven minutes October 10 against Florida. He left the team a few days after to tend to a family issue and returned to practice Friday.
He'll get the start against the Stars.
"I'm just ready to get that first shot out of the way and start moving forward," Mason said after Tuesday's morning skate.
"You want to get the first one out of the way, maybe even play the puck early on just to get a feel. At the end of the day it's just another game of hockey. I'm just excited to get back out there and start playing."
Slap shots
Michal Neuvirth, who posted two shutouts in Mason's absence, will likely get the start Wednesday night in Boston... R.J. Umberger will be a healthy scratch along with Vincent Lecavalier and Luke Schenn. Umberger is healthy after missing two games with an undisclosed upper-body injury.